Instant virtual copy operations are adapted for data objects that span storage boundaries such as logical and/or physical DASD subsystems. Initially, a data storage system receives a request to copy a data object contained in the system. The storage system includes multiple storage regions separated by storage boundaries. The regions may correspond to logical or physical DASD subsystems, for example. The storage system determines whether the data object resides in more than one of these regions. If so, the storage system divides the data object into multiple subparts, each subpart contained within a single storage region. Then, the storage system separately performs an instant virtual copy operation for each subpart. On the other hand, if the data object already resides in a single one of the regions, the storage system can perform one instant virtual copy operation for the data object as a whole.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for conducting a virtual copy of a data object residing in a machine-readable digital storage, where the storage includes one or more storage boundaries spanned by the data object, the method comprising operations of: dividing the data object into multiple segments, where each segment does not cross any of the storage boundaries; and performing one or more separate instant virtual copy operations for each segment.
2. The method of claim 1 , the storage boundaries including divisions between at least one of the following: logical storage subsystems, physical storage subsystems.
3. The method of claim 1 , where the dividing operation comprises identifying separate regions of the storage constituting the segments.
4. A method for operating a data storage system including multiple storage regions, comprising operations of: receiving a request to copy a data object residing in the data storage system; determining whether the data object resides in more than one of the regions; if the data object resides in more than one of the regions, identifying subparts of the data object, each subpart residing within a single one of the regions, and performing one or more instant virtual copy operations for each subpart; and if the data object resides in a single one of the regions, performing one instant virtual copy operation for the entire data object.
5. The method of claim 4 , where each region corresponds to one of the following: a logical storage subsystem, a physical storage subsystem.
6. The method of claim 4 , the operation of identifying subparts comprising specifying memory locations where the subpart resides in the data storage system.
7. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations to conduct a virtual copy of a data object residing in a machine-readable digital storage, where the storage includes one or more storage boundaries spanned by the data object, the operations comprising: dividing the data object into multiple segments, where each segment does not cross any of the storage boundaries; and initiating one or more separate instant virtual copy operations for each segment.
8. The medium of claim 7 , the storage boundaries including divisions between at least one of the following: logical storage subsystems, physical storage subsystems.
9. The medium of claim 7 , where the dividing operation comprises identifying separate regions of the storage constituting the segments.
10. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method to operate a data storage system including multiple storage regions by per, the method comprising operations of: receiving a request to copy a data object residing in the data storage system; determining whether the data object resides in more than one of the regions; if the data object resides in more than one of the regions, identifying subparts of the data object each subpart residing within a single one of the regions, and initiating one or more instant virtual copy operations for each subpart; and if the data object resides in a single one of the regions, initiating one instant virtual copy operation for the entire data object.
11. The medium of claim 10 , where each region corresponds to one of the following: a logical storage subsystem, a physical storage subsystem.
12. The medium of claim 10 , the operation of identifying subparts comprising specifying memory locations where the subpart resides in the data storage system.
13. A logic circuit of multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations to perform operations to conduct a virtual copy of a data object residing in a machine-readable digital storage, where the storage includes one or more storage boundaries spanned by the data object, the operations comprising: dividing the data object into multiple segments, where each segment does not cross any of the storage boundaries; and initiating one or more separate instant virtual copy operations for each segment.
14. A logic circuit of multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations to perform operations to operate a data storage system including multiple storage regions by per, the method comprising operations of: receiving a request to copy a data object residing in the data storage system; determining whether the data object resides in more than one of the regions; if the data object resides in more than one of the regions, identifying subparts of the data object each subpart residing within a single one of the regions, and initiating one or more instant virtual copy operations for each subpart; and if the data object resides in a single one of the regions, initiating one instant virtual copy operation for the entire data object.
15. A data storage system, comprising: a data storage facility including a controller and machine-readable digital storage including one or more storage boundaries; and a host, coupled to the data storage facility, configured to perform operations to conduct a virtual copy of a data object residing in the machine-readable digital storage, where the data object spans one or more of storage boundaries, the operations comprising: dividing the data object into multiple segments, where each segment does not cross any of the storage boundaries; and directing the controller to perform one or more separate instant virtual copy operations for each segment.
16. The system of claim 15 , the storage boundaries including divisions between at least one of the following: logical storage subsystems, physical storage subsystems.
17. The system of claim 15 , where the dividing operation comprises identifying separate regions of the storage constituting the segments.
18. A data storage apparatus, comprising: a data storage including one or more storage regions; a controller coupled to the data storage; and a processor, coupled to the data storage, configured to perform operations to operate the data storage, the operations comprising: receiving a request to copy a data object residing in the data storage; determining whether the data object resides in more than one of the regions; if the data object resides in more than one of the regions, identifying subparts of the data object each subpart residing within a single one of the regions, and directing the controller to perform one or more instant virtual copy operations for each subpart; and if the data object resides in a single one of the regions, directing the controller to perform one instant virtual copy operation for the entire data object.
19. The system of claim 18 , where each region corresponds to one of the following: a logical storage subsystem, a physical storage subsystem.
20. The system of claim 18 , the operation of identifying subparts comprising specifying memory locations where the subpart resides in the data storage facility.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
November 12, 1999
August 3, 2004
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